I See You
by heatqueen
Summary: There was that one person who was not deceived by the flares of a rich, well-bred society. That one person who and searched for the human being inside of the strange, green skin. How could she not, when she looked into her eyes and saw a lifetime of pain and torment?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: There was that one person who was not deceived by the flares of a rich, well-bred society. That one person who and searched for the human being inside of the strange, green skin. How could she not, when she looked into her eyes and saw a lifetime of pain and torment?**

I was immersed into a sea of the finest swathes of material and the shiniest shimmers of jewellery. I caught snippets of conversation from the hum of polite chatter as girls around me made favourable impressions, smiled their prettiest, friendliest smiles, greeted and gushed at each other's outfits, all in hope of forming significant connections in high places.

I wore a simple, blue dress. White slipper shoes. No jewellery.

Not one person spared me more than a few seconds before their eyes diverted away, greedily seeking out better options. Nor did I make any effort to speak to them – though I wondered if there would be more people like me here. Scholarship girls without millions of riches; who could not afford a glamorous lifestyle; who had no connections to any place remotely high.

I was standing in the grandest building I had ever seen. The main entrance room of Crage Hall was large and grand with high, arched ceilings, a marble floor, and chandeliers projecting beautiful glimmers as the light caught their coloured crystals.

At home we used candles.

I looked around at the rest of the girls in more detail. Lavish, fabric suitcases with beautifully woven patterns were stacked up in tall piles, and I wondered that any one girl could have enough belongings to fit into all of them. Compared to my one single suitcase, these girls had at least three times the amount of things that I did. And still, I imagined that they had plenty more of it back in their large bedrooms at home, where they had to leave things behind because there wasn't any room in their suitcases. As for my room, it was now completely empty.

The doors opened and all of the voices hushed as a trolley was wheeled in – with a girl sitting on top of it. She was blonde, beautiful and classy with a huge grin plastered on her face. She waved amicably to all of the people and I wondered if she had some sort of status which meant that people already knew who she was.

'That's Galinda Upland,' I heard someone murmer.

'Of the Upper Uplands,' someone else added.

I suppressed a snort. That kind of name sounded arrogant.

She immediately got down from the luggage trolley and started to socialise with people, making rounds in a false-friendly manner: the kind of 'I'll make just enough time for each person in order to make an impression, and not a second longer' façade which I despised so much.

She didn't talk to me.

Nor did she talk to the green girl in the corner – although she let out a yelp of shock when she saw her skin.

I suppressed my surprise. I had never seen a green person before but I felt extremely intimidated from being surrounded by so many strangers all at once. I didn't want to make myself the centre of attention.

So when I spotted the strange, green girl clutching onto the handle of a wheelchair in which another student sat, I quickly turned my back and continued to watch Galinda Upland as she spoke in a rather bright, bubbly manner to other people.

But I soon realised that a significant distance had been made from that corner of the room. The only girl who stayed near the green one was the wheelchair girl, who had a slight resemblance in appearance, only her colour was normal, like everybody else. A relative?

I suddenly felt a wave of disbelief towards the rich girls and found myself walking in the direction of that corner.

I don't know where my confidence came from. Maybe it was in the green girl's silence that I felt like it was okay for me to say something.

'I'm Krysia,' I said, extending a hand.

She raised an eyebrow. The wheelchair girl looked a bit put out.

'Okay, let's get this over with,' said the green girl. 'No, I'm not seasick. Yes, I've always been green. No, I didn't eat grass as a child!'

'Elphaba, control yourself, please!' admonished the other girl, gently taking Elphaba's hand and squeezing it. I watched the exchange in interest. The green girl didn't seem like the friendliest of people, but then again, she must have been sick of being noticed for only her skin colour.

'I'm Nessarose, by the way,' added the wheelchair girl, looking at me. 'I apologise for my sister's behaviour. She tends to be rather difficult at times.'

Elphaba frowned at this.

'Nice to meet you both,' I mumbled. My confidence had suddenly disappeared and I felt awkward.

The tall doors burst open and a wind blew across the room, sending everyone into silence. A middle aged woman, with white hair piled so high on top of her head that I wondered if she was wearing a wig, strode in. She carried a long staff with an orb in it, and turned with a grand swish at the front of the room to address us.

'Greetings, new Shiz students,' she said in a commanding tone. 'Welcome to Shiz University…'

She started to drone on about the importance of education, impressing greatly upon how well she would attend to all of our needs, and that we ought to strive to form the highest connections and display the most excellent standard of deportment while we were here. Much of it struck me as absolute nonsense and I tuned it out, uninterested.

I caught back on again when a high whine interrupted Madame Morrible's speech. Galinda Upland was asking something about a sorcery seminar, but Morrible had started to address Nessarose on the subject of where she would be living while she was at Shiz. An argument broke out when Morrible insisted that Nessarose stay with her, and then Elphaba lashed out at Morrible, insisting that she be allowed to room with her sister in order to take care of her instead. Galinda looked put out at being ignored.

Morrible won the argument, and then proceeded to speculate on what to do with the now roommateless Elphaba. She looked around the room, calling upon volunteers.

The whole room went silent.

I looked between Morrible and Elphaba and the rest of the girls, who appeared horrified at the prospect of having to room with the green girl. Elphaba had turned a dark shade of green and I could only assume that she was blushing.

Guilt stirred inside me and I suddenly felt that previous wave of confidence return.

'I will,' I said, before I could stop myself. I stepped forward and looked at Morrible directly in the eye. 'After all, she's just another one of us, right?'

Morrible's thick, hairy eyebrows shot up.

'You must be Miss Krysia, our scholarship girl,' she sneered. I nodded. 'Very well then. You will room with Miss Elphaba.'

I nodded again, and I realised I was gritting my teeth. All the rest of the girls were staring at me, some with their jaws dropped. Galinda Upland was smirking. I guessed she would probably have one of the private suites. It hit me that I had just gotten myself a promotion. Now I would not be residing in the lower class dormitories. I felt a tiny wave of excitement at the thought of having one of the larger, more comfortable beds and only one person to share space with.

I wondered what entitled Elphaba to one of the larger rooms in the first place. She seemed as plainly dressed as I was – but on the flip side, her sister was very elegantly dressed in more expensive clothing. The difference between them seemed to know no bounds. There must be money in the family, but Elphaba did not appear to use any of it.

Elphaba, like me, only had one suitcase. As soon as we arrived in our assigned room she quickly put away her belongings, which were mostly books and only a couple of plain outfits. She grabbed a book, settled herself at her desk and started to read.

I decided to check out my surroundings. The layout of the room was basic, but, I realised, very easy to make homey if I put a little effort into it. I dove into my suitcase, pulling out various small objects and assembling them: a small, red and purple rug on the floor that my parents had bargained for in a second hand sale; a sketch of my parents that I had made and framed in a thin, black frame on the wall; two cushions that I had sewn and stuffed myself in addition to the pillow and duvet that already came with the room. It wasn't much, and most certainly did not look expensive, but it was a little something that I was able to do for myself. And maybe while I was here I would be able to utilise my resources and do a bit more.

I arranged my toiletries inside the bathroom. Only a few of Elphaba's things were there, including some small bottles, a cloth, and a toothbrush. She didn't seem to care much for adding personal touches – but maybe I could help her to rectify that.

When I returned, Elphaba was busy making notes from the book she was reading. I was a good study, but wondered why anyone would bother making notes on a fictional story. Perhaps it was merely a quirk of hers.

She blinked and her head snapped in my direction.

'Yes, well spotted. I'm green. Congratulations on your keen observational skills. Now, I would appreciate it if you would stop staring at me,' she snapped.

I quickly looked away. Actually her skin colour had been pretty far from my thoughts but I supposed she must be used to people doing that kind of thing to her.

Had Elphaba actually said one kind word to me since we had met? She hadn't given me much of an introduction earlier, and now she had snapped at me. Oddly I found that I didn't care that she had behaved like that. Something was nagging the back of my mind – something more significant than mere curiosity that was begging me to wait this out and find out more.

'I didn't mean to stare. I was wondering why you did that.'

'Did what?'

'Make notes on a fictional story. It seems pointless.'

'Pointless!' she exclaimed. 'Do you not understand a thing about literature? I thought you were a scholarship girl! Pointless,' she huffed. 'This is most definitely not pointless. Your question, however, is distracting me.'

Literature had been my one area of weakness. I understood non-fiction and had an excellent memory for rote learning. But tell me to read for leisure and I would get stuck. Why bother to read about made up people's lives when I had my own life to live? I would much rather be learning history, or redesigning people's homes.

Literature had been the one thing that I thought would hinder my chances of coming to Shiz. Thankfully I had scraped through that section of the scholarship exam and aced everything else. If I had failed, I wouldn't have been able to afford to come here.

'It is only the first day. Perhaps you can afford to be distracted.'

'It is not a case of being able to afford it. I simply happen to prefer my books to people who don't know anything about me, and yet have already set out to humiliate me.'

'Have I said one word so far that has attempted to humiliate you?'

She looked closely at me. Her brow furrowed for a moment, and then relaxed, her sharp, stern features only able to soften so much.

'Oddly, no,' she responded. 'Although why, I'll never know.'

'I don't care that you're green.'

'Yes you do.' Elphaba sounded bitter. 'Everyone does. In fact, this whole thing is probably an act. You didn't want to sleep in the common dormitory. I get it.'

I sighed and gave up. Elphaba was being incredibly resistant, but perhaps over time I would be able to break down those walls.

I decided to take a bath before dinner. We had a large, shell shaped tub with a Jacuzzi option and three different types of bubble bath to choose from. If this is what my room was like, I wondered what Galinda Upland and the other rich girls got. Five types of bubble bath? A tub that was twice the size of this one?

I chose the strawberry scented bubble bath and relished in a nice, long soak. I could definitely see the appeal, although it seemed a bit extravagant. At home, bubble bath was a luxury, and even then it was unscented.

I stretched out like a starfish and waited until the water started lapping over my face before sitting up properly. I stayed inside until the water cooled and then got out and dried myself. On exiting the bathroom I said to Elphaba, 'I'm done now, the bathroom's all yours.'

'I'm good actually,' she mumbled back, still engrossed in the same book.


	2. Chapter 2

Every night Elphaba did her homework, and then got out a book to read. Sometimes she folded up on her bed in an awkward, angular position that did not look comfortable. Other times she sat at her desk making notes. Most of the time she ignored me, and I was quick to grow bored of the room's silence. So I found myself another option.

The art studios were my favourite rooms at Shiz University. Unlike the grand and orderly corridors, stuffy, cold feel of the regular classrooms, and huge gardens which had been preened and trimmed to the highest standards, the art studios were a place of colourful chaos. Desks and easels of all sizes were arranged sporadically at any angle, and heaps of supplies were shoved onto random shelves and stuffed into overflowing drawers. Pots of paint, piles of paper and masses of materials were spread out across the room, defiant that their creative space was not to be confined by rules and regulations.

Whenever I had no homework I went down there and created. I had already made two more small pillows like the ones I had brought with me, and a painting to brighten up the bare wall next to my bed. It was full of red and white and purple, the colours which reminded me of home, a series of lines and swirls which would appear abstract to anyone else, but were beautiful to me.

Elphaba did not argue with the way I decorated my side of the bedroom – but steadfastly refused to let me do anything to hers.

'It is far too extravagant and unnecessary,' she said, every time I asked. So her end remained bare.

I was scarcely joined by anyone during the later hours. I supposed most people preferred not to paint into the early hours of morning. Occasionally someone would pop in to get something, but would be quick to leave.

About two weeks into term, I was in one of the art studios sewing some fabric into a skirt when the door tentatively opened. I turned around to see a confused looking Galinda coming into the room.

'Miss Galinda,' I politely greeted, but felt a wave of frustration.

'Miss Krysia? So it's you in here?'

I nodded.

She tossed her flaxen curls. They glimmered in the dim light.

'Oh. I was just wondering, you know. Because it's so late at night.'

'Well you're here,' I commented. 'I supposed I'm not the only one who enjoys the early hours.'

'What I do is my business,' Galinda snapped. Then she spotted my skirt and grinned. 'Oh, did you make that? It's rather…_simple,_ really. If I were you I would prettify it with some pink frills. And maybe a bit of glitter. But I'm not you, of course, _you're_ you, and I'm me… _Ga_linda Upland, of the Upper Uplands…' She gave a lavish twirl and curtsied. I wished that she would leave.

She pottered around the room, picking up various objects and examining them, occasionally trying them out, yelping when she got a bit of glue on her hand. She bristled and hurried to the sink to wash it off. I tried to block her out and continue sewing, but her presence was extremely distracting.

Suddenly I missed the stony presence of Elphaba.

'I'm turning in,' I announced, and started to put my skirt and supplies away.

Galinda turned and pouted. Then grinned again.

'Oh. Well I might join you, if that's okay. It's terribly late to be walking around alone, unescorted.'

I sighed and relented.

'You know, I think you're so brave, volunteering to room with the green bean,' she nattered. 'I mean, how very _odd,_ to have green skin! And she has the most vicious temper. I don't know how you bear it, Miss Krysia. I don't think I could.'

I closed the studio's door behind me and we began the walk back up to our rooms. She clung onto my arm and planted her head on my shoulders as if we were already best friends. I rolled my eyes and suppressed a sigh.

'If you wanted to,' Galinda said, 'you could come and hang out in my room a little bit. If you want. You can join in the girl talk with me and Pfannee, Shenshen, and Milla. It will be much better than spending your time with that horrible old artichoke!'

'I don't care that she's green,' I mumbled, remembering how I'd said that to Elphaba on the first night.

'Well even so, it's not like she ever does anything except study. She acts like more of a scholarship girl than _you_ are, Krysia! She reads and reads and never socialises or anything!'

'I can't imagine why.'

We ascended the stone stairs to the next floor.

'What's with you and the art studios anyway? Why would you bother creating stuff when you can just buy it at the store?'

I stared at her in her turquoise evening dress embedded with emeralds and sapphires. Her eyes, brightened with make-up, were innocent and questioning.

'Miss Galinda, not all of us were raised with diamonds and pearls.'

'Oh.' She frowned. 'I guess I didn't think about that.'

Finally, _finally,_ we arrived back at my room. Hers was on the next floor up. I breathed a sigh of relief, gave Galinda a courteous goodbye, and closed the door behind me.

Elphaba looked up from her book.

'Was that Miss Galinda you were talking to?' she asked.

'You're still awake?'

'No, I'm sleep talking. Of course I'm still awake. What was Miss Upland doing around here anyway?'

'She was late back too, and offered to escort me. Why do you ask?'

Elphaba huffed.

'Never mind. Your choice if you want to associate with her.'

I changed into my night dress and crawled into bed. I could feel the light from Elphaba's desk lamp masking my eyelids. A heavy pitter-patter of rain thumped on our window, causing it to creak and rattle. A low rumble of thunder boomed in the great outdoors, and lightning lit up the bedroom in flashes, making it very difficult to go to sleep.

I cracked one eye open and peeked over to where Elphaba was still reading on her bed. She had pressed herself into the very corner of her room, her back flat against the wall and her knees folded up to her chest. Her face was turned sideways so I could not see it. After a while I realised she wasn't turning any pages.

'Elphaba,' I said.

She startled and dropped the book.

'What,' she grumbled.

'It's late. Go to bed.'

'_Miss_ Krysia. I have a question for you. Are you my mother?'

'No.'

'Then what in the name of Oz makes you think that you can tell me when to go to bed?'

'Perhaps my concern for your welfare,' I snapped, 'which in case you didn't notice, actually exists.'

She stood up and started pacing. Now that she was no longer folded up, her limbs looked thin and gangly. They were not enhanced by her worn, black night dress, one of only two that she appeared to own. Elphaba did not meet my eye, but I could see that she was shaking.

Eventually she slowed down.

'What is _with_ you?' she barked. 'Being so – so clingy! Have you not got better things to do?'

'It's one in the morning. What else would I be doing?'

'Sleeping maybe.'

'With your desk lamp casting all that light, as well as the thunder storm, sleep evades me.'

'Well I suppose you're not the only one then.'

She sat back down on her bed in a stiff, upright position. Her eyes darted towards the window where the lightning was still flashing. She squinted and wrapped her arms around herself. And I realised: Elphaba didn't want to be awake either. She just had no choice.


End file.
